Grappling device.



G. F. BLTZE.

GRAPPLING DEVICE.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1901.) y (No Model.) f 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

no. 704,852. Patented my l5, i902.

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No. 704,852. Patented lruly l5, |902.

G. F` BLTZE. AGRAPPLHIG DEVICE.

(Application led Sept. 20, 1901.)

me Model.) 2 sheets-shet 2.

111i. ,bfc

device.

Ain dotted UNITED STATES PATENT y OFFICE.

suenen' n. BoL'rzn, on FORT' M Amson, Town.

GRAPPLING DEVICE.

SFEGIFIGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 704,852, dated July 15, 1902.

Application filed September 20. 1901. Serial Nm 751879. (No modell) v To a/ZZ wltom t mag/concern.:

Be it known that LGnonen F. BoLrzn, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Madison, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Grappling Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersl skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in grappling devices, and is designed more especially for use in connection with that form of water-elevators known as chain-pumps. In this 'class of pumps there is generally employed a pump stock having at the top a sprocket-wheel, over which passes an endless belt or chain provided with a series of transverse pistons, the upward run of said chain passing through the pump-stock. Whenever a chain has been broken, it has been found almost absolutely necessary to remove the entire pump-stock in order to pass the chain therethrough and to join the disconnected ends exteriorly of the pump-stock.

The object of my invention is to provide a device by which which is let down through the pump-stock maybe grasped and drawn up on the outside, so that the broken ends may be joined at the top of the well, and thus obviate the inconvenience necessitated bythe removal of the pump-stock to repair a broken chain.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my grappling Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. view of my device in use, showing lines the position the grapple assumes at the bottom of the pump-stock when it is ready to grasp the end lof the chain. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken through either Fig. 1 or Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a modication of securing the guide-Wire to a different style of pump-stock.

Fig. 3 is a The details of construction herein described maybe changed and varied without in any `the end of a broken chainV with the lateral portions of the frame 1 degree departing from the spirit of my i11- vention.

In carrying out my invention l' preferably construct the grapple of a main member 1, a second member 2, and a third member 3. Member 1 is in the form of an elongated loop contracted at one end into a narrow subloop or loop extension 1a for a purpose presently seen, while near the opposite end its side portions are preferably threaded, as it. were, througha connecting plate or bar 1b, near its ends, thus holding the same apart. elongated loop extension is principally designed to receive or catch the chain and is curved or bent. The member 1 has its side portions,afterhavingbeenthus connected,ex

The 6o tended into hooks 1, and the member 2,which 65 is also threaded or passed through said plate or bar 1", also has hook terminals 2X, arranged upon the opposite side of said bar or plate. Said member 8`comprises, preferably, a wire frame, with its lower end-portion standing at 7o about a right angle to the member 1, constituted of vtwisted lateral arms 3a to stiifen and strengthen the same, the parts fulcruming at that point. One arm has one wire or strand of the twisted-together strands curved back into a circle or spring 3b about parallel with said` arms. It is next carried over itself through one of two eyes or hooks 3X, formed and bent into a preferably angular loop 3-, stand- 8o ing at a right angle to said arm and spring. It is thence extended transversely to the frame or member l, as at 3d, and passed through eyes or loops formed at one end of the opposite lateral arm of the member 3 and through A 85 the other of the loops or eyes 3)?, thus pivoting said member 3 upon the member 1, and again bent into a second, preferably angular, loop 3, it being finally twisted upon itself.

Said angular loops or stops being possessed 9o of spring action from the lspring 3 are designed to hold off the hooks, &c., of the grapple when in the inverted position as it is raised and lowered from contact with the pump tubing or stock, and retains the contraeted loop portion or extension 1 of the member 1 in position upon a cable or wire 6, suitably stretched in place upon the pumpstock, with the end of said loop extension pressed against said cable or wire, said cable or Wire being applied under stress to the pump-stock after the fashion of the application of the strings of certain stringed instruments, as will be readily appreciated from the drawings. Said member or frame 3 has its top and bottom connecting or transverse wires or portions 3d 3e each looped or formed into a central or spiral spring 3f 3g, respectively, the same also serving as finger-loops when applying the device to the wire or cable 6, in which case the member 3 is inverted, together with the member 1. Said wires are also additionally rebent or recurved, as at 3i, where they are looped into spiral springs to form snap-hooks 3h to enable them to engage the wire or cable 6 in applying or connecting the device to said wire. Said member 3 has at its upper corners bent projections or clasps 5a, adapted to engage the lateral portions of the frame or memberl to aid its retention in the proper position upon the member or frame 1. Said member also has its lateral wires or runners adapted or bowed toward the pump-stock, as at 5b, to remove or retain its connecting or transverse portion out of contact with said pump-stock,- as it otherwise would be liable to catch upon said pump-stock at the joints or sections thereof.

In using my device to repairabroken chain the clasps 5a are released from the member 1, and then the snap-hooks 3h are caught upon the wire 6. The curved subloop is presented downward and passes over said wire 6, so as to guide the member 1 in substantially an upright position. The device is then lowered by a cord connected to the plate 1b, and when it reaches the bottom of the lpump-stock it will be seen that the subloop 1a has run o its guide-Wire 6, and by the spring action of the angular loops 3c the member 1 will be swung into a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to present the loop within the pump-stock at its lower end. One end of a chain is then let down through the pump-stock until it has .passed through the loop. The chain then either by swinging or the raising of the apparatus catches in the subloop 1a. After the chain is caught it may be drawn up, and then the disconnected ends of the chain are readily joined together. Thus it is obvious how readily a broken chain may be repaired by using my ldevice.

It often happens that when a chain breaks it falls to the bottom of the well, and it is therefore necessary that it be recovered in order that it may be repaired. In such instances the snap-hooks 3" are released from the wire 6, the clasps 5 of the member 3 of my grapple are caught upon the member 1, the cord attached to the plate 1b is passed through the spiral springs 3f 3g and the subloop, and then the device is adapted for use as an ordinary grappling hook. The lost chain may be dragged for in the usual manner until it is caught by one or more of the hooks 1c 2X.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified manner of stretching the guide-wire 6 in position upon a diiferent style or type of pump-stock. One end is connected to a band or strap passed around the pump-box 6c and the other end to a flange 6b at the bottom of the pumpstock 6X.

The following, among other advantages, are derived from the use of my invention: A broken chain can be repaired in about onefourth the time necessary by the old way, the latter requiring the lifting out of the tubing. The well-box, usually nailed at the bottom to the platform, is not required to be loosened in order to repair such broken chain, nor does the pump-stock or tubing require to be loosened from the well-box and lifted out of the well for that purpose, as has heretofore been the case, which tubing, being of wood and water-soaked, is, as is apparent, very heavy or weighty.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-' 1. The grapple havinga loop member hav ing hook terminals and a second member also having hook terminals fixed together, and means for lowering and raising the said grapple, substantially as set forth.

2. The grapple comprising a loop member having hook terminals and a second member having also hook terminals fixed together, a frame or third member pivoted to the first member, and means for the lowering and rais ing of the grapple, substantially as set forth.

3. The grapple comprising a loop member having hook terminals and a second member also having hook terminals fixed together, a member or frame having coincident springs, and means for lowering and raising the grapple, substantially as set forth.

4. The grapple comprising a loop member' having hook terminals and a second member also having hook terminals fixed together, a pivoted right-angled member or frame having bent projections adapted to engage the first member, and coincident coiled springs with their forming-wires adapted to form snaps, and means for lowering and raising said grapple, substantially as set forth.

5. The grapple comprising a loop member having hook terminals and a pivoted member having at its lower end, at the corners, loops adapted to serve as stops to hold 0E the hooks from the pump-stock and to retain the irst-referred-to member in proper position in the movement upon the wire or cable applied to the pump-stock, substantially as set forth.

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6. Thegrapple comprising a loop member having hook terminals and a pivoted member having at its lower end, at the corners,

loops or stops, and a spring connected with,

5 andpossessing said stops with spring action,

substantially as set forth.,

7. The grapple comprising a loop member having hook terminals, and a pivote. mem-` ber having lateral wires or portions bowed 

